All aboard for 2015 Artemis Challenge

17 Aug 2015

Rugby stars took to the seas to help win thousands for charity in the Artemis Challenge 2015

COWES WEEK: This past weekend saw a fleet of 16 of the largest ocean racing yachts in the world race around the Isle of Wight in support of their chosen charities, as part of the annual Artemis Challenge during Cowes Week.

Zara Phillips joined rugby stars from England, France and Scotland in Cowes, sailing onboard Artemis Ocean Racing with husband Mike Tindall, looking to beat French rugby rivals Serge Betsen (on Musandam-Oman Sail) and Sylvain Marconnet (on SMA). Scottish rugby legend Gavin Hastings completed the rugby line-up racing onboard the all-female boat of SCA.

But the trimaran Musandam-Oman Sail, with the French team of skipper Sidney Gavignet and former Les Bleus flanker Serge Betsen, claimed overall line honours at the head of the fleet of four multihulls, and received £2,000 for their charity of choice, the Al Hayat Association.

In the competitive fleet of 10 IMOCA monohulls, it was PRB, skippered by French sailor Vincent Riou, who beat the line-up of offshore racers to claim £7,000 for the charity Action Enfance Fondation MVE. And in the battle of the two Volvo Ocean 65s, the all-female Team SCA with Gavin Hastings onboard beat Dongfeng to claim £1,000 for Women in Sport.

Cowes Week is one of the UK’s longest running sporting events, having first taken place in 1826. The sailing regatta is the largest of its kind in the world, attracting between 800 and 1,000 yachts in up to 40 classes. Around 7,000 competitors race during the week, ranging from weekend sailors to World Champions and Olympic medallists.

via Boating Business – All aboard for 2015 Artemis Challenge.